When A Co-Driver May Be Found Liable In A Trucking Accident Case

While many truckers ride alone in their cabs, some will ride together with a second driver in order to break up the delivery route. Co-drivers can be trainees, regular route partners, or another driver assigned to make better time on a specific journey. Although co-drivers may not be in control of the vehicle while riding as passengers, they still have a responsibility to act in a safe manner on the road—and if they did not do everything possible to avoid a crash, they could be held liable in a truck accident case.

How Co-Driver Negligence May Result in a Truck Accident

Some of the most common causes of co-driver negligence involve a failure to intervene when a driver is acting strangely or irresponsibly. Co-drivers are not merely passengers, they are trucking company employees who have a duty to interfere if the driver poses an obvious risk to himself and other drivers on the road.

A co-driver may be found negligent for a truck accident if:

The driver was falling asleep at the wheel. Co-drivers should be well aware of the first signs of drowsy driving (such as swerving or staring). Co-drivers may be negligent if they suspect that the truck driver was fatigued and did not take over, or insist that the driver pull over to rest.

The driver had logged too many hours. Truck drivers must adhere to strict hours of service laws and can face severe penalties if these rules are violated. If the co-driver did not take over driving duties or refused to drive for his or her portion of a shift, he or she could be held liable for the consequences.

The driver was obviously distracted. If the co-driver ignored a driver’s texting, eating, watching television, or taking his hands off the wheel while driving, he may share liability in a distracted driving accident.

The driver showed signs of intoxication prior to the crash. If a driver is drunk or under the influence of drugs, co-drivers must be ready to take over driving duties and report the driver’s activities as soon as possible.

The co-driver was engaging in distracting or illegal activities. A co-driver may be liable for a crash if he or she was engaging in horseplay, was intoxicated, gave drugs to the driver, or otherwise interfered with the safe operation of the truck.

The co-driver was improperly trained. The trucking company may be held liable if the co-driver was not adequately trained on his or her duties or was unable or unwilling to perform actions that could have prevented the accident.

When drivers and co-drivers are to blame for a semi-truck crash, it is the trucking company who is sued for damages. Depending on the employees’ actions, the trucking company may be held liable for a victim’s lost income, medical bills, permanent disability, and pain and suffering. Our truck accident attorneys represent individuals throughout Illinois and Missouri who have suffered serious personal injuries as a result of an accident with an 18-wheeler. Simply fill out the short contact form on this page to schedule an appointment for a free consultation, or download your FREE copy of one of our books, When the Rules of the Road Get Broken: A Guide to Illinois Car Wreck Cases or The Missouri Car Crash Guide: Don't Wreck Your Car Crash Case!

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